Sugar-washing device



Aug. 18, 1925,

' E. ROBERTS SUGAR WASHING'DEVICE Filed June 19. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Aug. 18, 1925.

E ROBERTS SUGAR wasnme DEVICE Filed June 19. 1920 sshuts-she t z Aug.18, 1925.

Filed June 19. 1920 4 s Sheets-Shoot 5 z I a Patented Aug. 18, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE ROBERTS, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIGNOR TO THE VIESTERN STATESMACHINE COMPANY, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORATION OF UTAH.

SUGAR-WASHING DEVICE.

Application filed June 19, 1920.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE RoBERTs, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State ofUtah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SugarashingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for washing sugar or other materialin a centrifugal basket after the juice or syrup has been centrifugallyextracted therefrom and is in the nature of an improvement upon thewashing apparatus shown in the Roberts and Gibson United States LettersPatent 1,224,095 dated April 24, 1917.

The present invention is intended to simplify the construction of theapparatus, improve its operation and obtain more precise or exactdetermination of the period of the washing or spraying operation. Ingeneral the invention comprises a constantly rotating shaft combinedwith an intermittently connected timing shaft and automaticallycontrolled timing mechanism with suitably combined valve closing andnozzle actuating connections by which the duration of the period ofwashing is exactly controlled in accordance with a predetermined settingof a regulator.

Another feature of the invention comprises the combination of automatictiming mechanism and nozzle actuating and valve closing devices with aregulator operatively associated with a regulating dial member or indexby which the exact setting can be readily determined appropriate tovarious grades of sugar to be treated.

These and other features of the invention will be explained in thefollowing specifica tion and will be defined in the claims heretoannexed.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have illustrated a preferred formembodying the principles of this invention in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the completely assembled device inoperative position for use.

Figure 2 is an end elevation with a nozzle and partly broken away toshow the valve chamber and valve.

Figure 3 is an end elevation with the end plate and supported partsremoved to Serial No. 390,131.

show the intermediate construction and arrangement.

Figure 4 is a central section on a vertical plane extending from frontto rear show ing the working parts of the timing mecha nism.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section showing the timing mechanism andworking parts in plan view.

Figure 6 is a detail View of the crown gear which drives the timingmechanism showing the adjustable regulator in relation thereto as viewedon the plane a90a in the direction of the arrow Z) in Fig. 4;.

Figure 7 is a vertical face view on the plane 00a showing the mutilatedtiming gear as viewed in the direction of the arrow at in Fig. 4.

Figure 8 is a front elevation partly in section with the end or dialplate broken away to show the intermediate working parts.

Figure 9 is adetail view showing the intermittently engaged transmissiongearing for driving the timing shaft intermittently from the dial shaft.

In the practice of the invention as illus traded in the drawings Iprovide a suitable casing A having two circular open sides correspondingrespectively to the front and side faces thereof each of which is closedby a removable head or plate as hereinafter described.

On the open side of the casing is removably secured a face plate 1having integrally cast therewith a valve casing 2 provided with apartition 2 forming a circular seat for the plunger valve 3 which whenseated firmly to the valve opening or port prevents the flow of waterthrough the valve chamber. At the opposite ends of the valve chamber orwater passage are provided flanges 41 and 42 the latter adapted to forma flanged connection with the liquid supply pipe 60 while the former hasa flanged connection with the flanged coupling in which the oscillatorynozzle or spray pipe l is pivotally mounted so as to permit oscillationof the pipe 4 and the spray nozzle 5 carried at its end and throughwhich the water is distributed in a fan-like spray as described in theabove mentioned Roberts and Gibson patent.

The oscillation of the nozzle or spray member is effected by a split hublever 6 whose separable semi-circular collar 7 clamped around thehorizontal portion of the elbow shaped nozzle pipe 4 in any desiredposition of tlCljLlStHlQIlt. At its free end, the arm 6 is provided witha stud or roller 6 engaging a wave-lilre groove formed in the actuatingcam 8 that is secured to the timing or worm shaft 3 which also actuatesthe timing meshanisi'n.

In the side wall of the casing opposite to that carrying the valvechamber is mountei a short power shaft 10 to which power is provided byany suitable means as by a grooved pulley ll driven by belt connectionfrom any convenient shaft outside of the machine.

Pivotally mounted upon this power shaft 10 is a pinion supportingfran'ie or double plate 13 whose branches straddle the driving pinion 1*that is secured to the inner (aid oi? the power sha'l t. .lotatablysupported upon a stud or bearing pin 50 red in this pivotal frame 13 isa pinion 'l-l which permanently mtermeshed with the power pinion l2.rrdjacent to the pinion 'l l but normally out of engagement therewith isa pinion 15 secured to the worm shaft 9 by which the worm shai t isdriven when the mechanism is set in operation by the shift ing of thepinion 1 into mesh with the pinion 15.

A fixed bearing stud or shaft extends through the casing from front torear and is held against rotative movement by a clan'iping nut 2% havingthreaded engagement ith the reduced end of the shaft 2% which projectsthrough the rear end or the casing as shown in Figure Around the frontend of this shaft and projecting through the front or dial plate 23 isrotatably mounted the flanged sleeve 15) from whose flange projectsrearwardly a stud or lug which stud or lug can be shiftedcircun'rterentially arouno the shaft by the partial rotation of thesleeve 19 which is offected by an external arm 21 secured to the end ofsaid sleeve and having, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, at its free end aheaded plunger pin 22 which is normally spring pressed into engagementwith a series of locking holes formed in the face plate 23concentrically around the axis of said sleeve or regulating member. Thisperforated plate 23 therefore acts as an index or dial plate with thenumbered holes to indicate the various setting positions of theregulator as will be hereinafter explained.

Rotatably mounted on the cylindrical sleeve 19 is the hub 17 of a wormgear lb which continually meshes with the worm oi the worm shaft- 9 sothat the gear 16 rotates as long as the worm shaft is in rotation.

The stem of the valve 0 extends up wardly through the stuli box or gland3L formed on top of the valve chamber, and through the mediinn of anadjustably con-- nccted member 31 has pivotal connection with a shortlever 27 secured to the transverse rock shalt 25 to which also issecured the hand lever 26 by which the valve is opener and the timingmechanism set in op eration as will be xplained.

The principal members oi the timing mechanisn'i comprise a non-rotatablesleeve 3411 slidingly mounted on the shaft ll to which it is splined bya headed pin 4:? projecting through a slot in the top out said sleeve,and the rotatable timing gear 35 which is rotatably mounted upon thefront end of the sleeve 3-1 and is normally pressed in acontra-clockwise direction by the coil spring 38 one end of which ispinned to the mutilated gear or tin'iing member 35, the other end beingpinned to the non-rotative sleeve 3st. From the front liace of themutilated gear 35 projects a stop pin 37 an ranged to cooperate with thestop lug 20 of the regulator so that the stop lug 2O acts as a stop tolimit the rotation of the member :35 in a contra-clockwise direction asviewed from the "front under the tension. of the coil spring); 88.

In will be understood that the circum terential adjustment or the stoplug 20 by means of the regulator arm 21 will serve to change theposition at wl ch the stop pin 31'", and consequently the tin'iingmember 35, is held thereby varying the initial or cir- Cllflliiffll'tlllllill posit-ion oi the timing member 3a. As will be hereinafterexplained the timing member when set in action always acts at apredetermined point, hence the setting at its initial positioncircun'iilerentially will detern'iine the period of duration of itsrotation.

The timing member 35 is rotated when ever its crown teeth or projectionstermed {)O on the front lace thereof are brought into intern'ieshingengagement with any of the teeth of the crown gear 18 "formed on therear face of the worm gear 16 as shown in Figures at, 6 and 7. Thisintcrn'ieshing is effected by the longitudinal or sliding movement in aforward direction of the sleeve 3% carrying the timing member 35 againstthe crown gear teeth 18. Such forward movement is caused in the firstinstance by rocking the transverse shaftin a clockwise direction bylifting the hand lever 26 such shitting movement being effected by meansof an arm 38 formed on the rock shaft 535 whose rounded free end engagesa transverse slot at the rear end o1 the sleeve or carriage 3%. On theside of the sleeve ill adjacent to the pinion it is formed a verticalslotted lug 49 into whose slot projects the stud or pin 50 which formsthe support ing axis for the pinion 1 1. Hence this forward movement ofthe sleeve acts through this pin connection to throw the transmissionpinion 14; into mesh with the worm shaft pinion 15 to cause the rotationof the worm shaft, the same movement resulting in operatively connectingor engaging the timing member 35 with the crown gear 18 by which theformer is rotated.

A coiled spring 39 secured to the shipper arm 33 and to a fixed part ofthe machine acts to cause a rearward movement of the sleeve 3 1 by whichthe timing member 35 is shifted out of operative position. To preventthis automatic rearward shifting of the sleeve or carriage 3%, until thepredetermined time when it is desired to disengage the timing memberfrom the crown gear, I employ a dog 45 which is pivotally mounted on therear end of the sleeve and whose under side is formed with av hook orshoulder 16 adapted to drop over and engage the front side of thesplined pin 17 when the sleeve is shifted forward in position to operatethe timing mechanism.

On the periphery of the rotatable timing member 35 is provided aprojection in the form of a set screw cam pin 18 which acts when itreaches the uppermost or vertical position in line with the forward endof the dog 45 to lift the said dog out of interlocle ing engagement withthe pin 19 thereby allowing the torsion spring 39 to withdraw the sleeveand timing member from operative position through the turning of therock-shaft.

For greater security the dog is engaged upon the opposite side by thevertical lugs as and 4L9 (Fig. to relieve the pivoted pin of the dog ofsidewise thrust when the projecting cam pin 13 rides against the frontend of the dog in the act of lifting it to releasing position.

Since the forward end of the rock-shaft has operative connection withthe valve 3 through the valve stem and the short arm 27, it will be seenthat the raising of the hand lever 26 acts to open the valve as well asset the timing mechanism in operation, while the automatic release ordisengagement of the timing mechanism being caused by the reversemovement of the rock shaft under the influence of the torsion spring 39will coincide with the closing of said valve by the rock shaft.

Since the dog or latch 45 has a constant or uniform positioncircumferentially of the axis of rotation of the timing member 35 itwill be seen that the timing mechanism always ceases to act at apredetermined point. Since the spiral spring 38 normally presses thetiming member around in a contra-cloclm ise directionuntil it isarrested by the engagement of its stop pin 37 with the stop lug of theregulator, it will be seen that the circun'iferential shifting of theregulator will correspondingly shift the initial position of the timingmember so that, obviously, the farther the timing member is set in aclockwise direction the shorter will be the are through which the timingmember will have to travel before reach ing its angle of position and,hence, the shorter will be the duration of the washing period which isterminated by the closing of the valve, which is effected by the torsionspring 39 and connections as soon as the dog is lifted and ceases to actas a detent.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for washing sugar in centrifugals and the like, thecombination of apulley driven shaft, a cut-off valve, a rotatable timerfor determining the period that the valve remains open, intermediateconnections between said shaft and said timer comprising a Worm gear anda worm in constant mesh with each other and disconnectible on one sidefrom the pulley driven shaft and on the other from the timer when thelatter acts t cause the closing of the valve, and a timer regulatoradjustable to vary the arc of rotation permitted said timer,substantially as described.

2. In a machine for washing sugar or the like, the combination with aspray nozzle and its out off valve, of spring actuated alve-closingmechanism, a detent for preventing the closing of the valve, a rotatabletiming member arranged to release the dctent after rotating through apredetermined arc of rotation, a worm actuated driving gear arrangedcoaxially with the rotatable timing member to have operative connectiontherewith until the connection is auton' atically broken by the releaseof said detent, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for washing sugar or the like, the combination with anoscillatory spray nozzle and its cut-off valve, of automaticvalve-closing means, a releasable detent for preventing the valveclosing means from acting, a rotatable timer acting to re lease thedetent after rotation through a predetermined arc, an actuating geararranged coaxially with the timer to have releasable driving connectiontherewith, a regulating stop member adjustable about the axis of thetimer to vary the arc of its rotation before releasing the detent, and astarting lever acting to open the cutoff valve and operatively connectthe timer with its actuating gear, substantially as described.

4i. In a machine for washing sugar the combination of a rotary actuatingshaft. a cut-off valve closing means therefor, a sliding carriage, atiming member rotatably mounted on said carriage and shiftable therebyinto operative position to be driven from said actuating shaft, a detentacting to hold said carriage against reverse moveiii ment during thewashing operation said detcnt being released by said timing member at apredetermined point in the rotation of the timing member, the valveclosing mechanisin being held against action by said oarriage until saiddetcnt is released, substan tially as described.

5. In a machine for washing sugar, the combination of a rotary actuatingshaft, releasably connected driving means therefor, an actuating geardriven by said shaft, a rotatable tin'iing member movable in thedirection of its axis, to be operatively enga ed with said gear by theopening movement oi the valve mechanism, a valve, and valve controllingmechanism opcratively asz-iociated with said timing member to act toclose the valve when the lining n'iember has rotated through apredetermined are, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for washing sugar, combination of a rotary actuatinshalt, a gear driven thereby, a cut-oil A a movable carriage, arotatable tinnng member mounted on said car to be moved int-o operativeengagement with said ear b the opening of the valve, valve clos L nismheld against action by suin Cklll'iif" when the timing member er in; in,

said gear, said carriage being reiesed permit the action of the valveclosing mechanism when the timing n'iember has rotated through apredetermined are, substantially as described.

7. In a machine For washing combination of a continuously ro ing member,an actuating s-tha' forming a disconnoctible driving between saiddriving member and said sin.

a cut-oil valve, valve closing mecn movable carriage operativelyconnected wit i said valve closing mechanism to prevent it iiirom normalaction, a timing member mounted on said carriage and havingdisconnectible driving connection with said ac tuating shai't saidcarriage acting simultaneously to establish operative connection betweensaid driving member and said timing member with said shatt and to causetheir simultaneous release from driving connection therewith,substantially as described.

8. In a machine "for washing sugar, the combination of an actuatingshaft, intermib tently connected driving means therefor, a timingmen'iber arranged to be temporarily shifted into driven connection withsaid actuating shaft, a carriage acting to opera tively connect saiddriving means and said timing member with said actuating shaft, acut-oil valve, valve closingmechanism interconnected with said carriageto be held against action while the afo-i-said driving conne'tions aremaintained and to release said valve closing mechanism when theaforesaid driving connections are disconnected, substantially asdescribed.

9. In a machine for w shing sugar, the C()illl)lIl&tlUIl 01' a rotatableactuating shaft, an actuating gear driven thereby, a sl'idable carriagemovable toward and away from, said gear, a rotatable timing membermounted on said carriage to be shifted into opera-i tive engagement withsaid gear, a detent arranged to automatically lock the carriage with thetiming member in engagement with said gear, said timing member acting tore lease said detent at a predetcrn'iined point in its rotation, a shutoff valve, valve closing mechanisn'i interconnected with said carriageto be held inactive when the timing member is engaged with its actuatinggear and to be released to close the valve when the timing member hasreached a predetermined point, substantially as described.

1.0. In a machine for washing sugar, the combination cl a casing havinga transverse shaft, a gear rotatably mounted on said shaft, a regulatingmember rotatably mounted on said shaft inside said gear, a carriagemounted to slide longitudinally oil said shaft toward and away from saidgear, a detent mounted on said carriage, a timing member rotatablymounted on said carriage and movable by said carriage into operativeconnection with said gear and provided with means for releasing saiddetent at a predetermined point in its rotation, a rock-shaft having anarm interconnected with said carriage, a

alve, and a valve stem having connection with said roclcsha'tt, and aspring normally tending to close said valve and withdraw said carriageto disconnect said timing member from said gear, substantially asdcscribed.

11. In a machine for washing sugar, the combination of an actuating wormshaft and worm gear connected therewith, lateral gear teeth, a timingmember arranged to be shifted into and out operative engagement withsaid gear teeth to be rotated thereby, an adjustable stop member, aspring normally holding said rotatable timing member against said stopmember when the timing member is disengaged from the gear, and means forsimultaneously starting the rotation of said worm shaft and said timingmember, a cut-off valve, alve closing mechanism, and means controlled bythe timing member for releasing said valve closing means and disengagingthe timing member "from operative connection with said gear,substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

EUGENE ROBERTS.

